Local music showcased at newly opened Creative City Centre in Regina

You're in for a special experience, in a special place, Regina's Creative City Center, newly launched last year. Creative City Center was founded in 2008. We opened our doors in 2011 at our former home on Hamilton. And between when we opened and when we closed to begin renovations here, we had presented over 1,500 events. I am such a supporter of Creative City Center and have played shows, you know, in the old facility, participated in some of their programming. So super happy. This is my first time playing in the new space. Coming off COVID, lots of venues closed down and live music is still picking up. So having dedicated space where art can thrive and space where artists can come together and audience can also meet those artists. The work that we do is really important in terms of helping to create a really vibrant and active art scene downtown. Also, what we focus on is providing a place where Saskatchewan talent can have their first show or their first exhibition or their first performance. All the work that Marion has put in over the years to make it possible for us to have this connection and community is just so amazing. I feel like events like this are important to show community, to also show the wide range of artistry that is present in the city and the community in general. And just to show just how unique each of these performances are, the unique stories and experiences. Since we opened in September, we've already presented 20 events in the last month alone. So to me, that just tells me that there's a need for a space like this. This is something that we love, like putting the spotlight on Saskatchewan talent, putting the spotlight on Saskatchewan recording studios. That's really important to us. They're an integral part of the ecosystem of the music community here. When I came to Canada, the Blue Doors was the first studio I ever recorded at. I also recorded my first album at Blue Doors. It was such a good introduction to being in Saskatchewan and making music in Saskatchewan because it just gave me that space to express myself. and the producers there have always been welcoming and very hands-on it's great to have high quality recording and production and you know access to really good gear and a good room I think that they're really trying to go even above and beyond that and make it really connected and community-based I first started working with Walt and Ron when a mutual musician that we know had given my name as a possible backup singer and so that was amazing I was looking to do more harmonies and and it was kind of my foot into working with Ron and Walt. Music as a whole is something that your environment influences right because when when I was in Nigeria the kind of music I made was centered around what I could observe around my environment now moving to the Paris has changed my perspective even looking at the kind of music I've written over the years versus what i used to do in nigeria is totally different why because in this new environment with the new community with new people with a new family right i get to see a version of myself that i wouldn't have seen otherwise if i was in somewhere else you know having spaces like the blue doors to bring all that together is is so important because then you feel like you're in a familiar space with people who get you for what you're doing and can appropriately support you to to also reach those goals.